Surprise Palace

Tuesday, 10/08/2010

by Shoot's Palace blogger, Dan Cook.

So, since my last entry, Palace have managed secure a 3 - 2 opening day win against a Leicester team who were competing in the Championship play-offs at the end of last season. 

Not bad for a side that a surprisingly large group of “experts” predicted would be facing relegation from the Championship this season, still it is what we have come to expect lately at the Palace.

I must admit, though, barely any of our fans would have thought that the boys would be going in at half-time with a 3 – 0 lead intact. 

The decision by George Burley to start Wilfred Zaha and Kieran Cadogan, both of whom are recent products of our burgeoning youth academy, really paid off.

Zaha managed to open the scoring, and in doing so demonstrated the kind of poise in front of goal which we have not seen since a certain Andrew Johnson left us, whilst Cadogan looked extremely composed in his role on the right hand side of midfield.

There had already been a feeling of celebration reverberating around the ground prior to kick-off when CPFC2010 were formally introduced to the fans, but as we all made our way back up the steps to a grab a half-time drink the atmosphere was one of dream-like elation more than anything else.

I could now grumble on about how we allowed Leicester back into the game in the second half but, I genuinely don’t feel much need to. 

Yes, the defending was slack for their second goal and, yes, we very nearly threw our lead away in the dying minutes, but if it wasn’t for the consortium coming in to save us I wouldn’t be writing this blog at all. 

So for the time being I shall not be airing my tactical moans in public, I would add that this can probably be expected to change around about mid-September, though!

We are playing away at Yeovil in the League Cup tonight, and go into the game without the services of Owen Garvan who is away on international duty. 

We are also missing Neil Danns who is serving the last of a three game suspension which he picked up at the end of last season.

I would imagine George Burley may use the game to give some more of the youngsters a run out, and if the performance of Zaha and Cadogan is anything like it was on Saturday we could well keep up our perfect start to the season.

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